basic information

Tokyo has two airports, Narita International Airport (NRT), which handles mostly international air traffic and is the arrival point of most foreign visitors, and Haneda Airport (HND), which handles mostly domestic air traffic.

Narita Airport, formerly also known as New Tokyo International Airport, is located in the city of Narita in Chiba Prefecture, about 60 km outside of Tokyo. It consists of two terminal buildings, terminal 1 and terminal 2, with each airline being assigned to one of the two terminals.

How to travel between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station

By Japan Railways (JR):

The fastest option to get to Tokyo Station is the JR Narita Express (NEX), requiring roughly one hour for the one way journey. All seats are reserved. The one way fare between Narita Airport and Tokyo Station is about 2900 Yen. There are departures every 30 to 60 minutes.

With the NEX & Suica package, available for 3500 Yen to foreign tourists only, you can travel by Narita Express from the airport to Tokyo and receive a Suica card worth 2000 Yen (500 yen refundable deposit plus 1500 yen worth in train fares).

Suica is a prepaid card, that can be used instead of regular tickets on virtually all trains and buses in Greater Tokyo, including JR trains and subways.

The JR Sobu Line (Rapid Service), the slower but cheaper JR alternative to the Narita Express, takes roughly 90 minutes from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station and costs 1280 Yen for the one way journey. There is about one departure per hour.

By Keisei Railways:

Take the Keisei Limited Express from Narita Airport to Nippori Station (about 75 minutes, 1000 Yen) and transfer to the JR Yamanote Line or JR Keihin-Tohoku Line to get to Tokyo Station (10 minutes, 150 Yen). There are connections every 20 minutes.

By limousine bus:

Limousine buses to Tokyo Station depart Narita Airport every 15 to 20 minutes. The one way journey takes about 80 to 100 minutes and costs 3000 Yen.

Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current yen exchange rate, click here.

Means of access to/from Narita Airport

	JR Narita Express (NEX) About 3000 yen, 60 minutes to central Tokyo Departures every 30-60 minutes The Narita Express is a fast and comfortable airport train into central Tokyo (serving Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro Stations), the Tokyo Tama region, Yokohama and Saitama. All seats are reserved. Thanks to the NEX & Suica package, the Narita Express can also be a relatively economical airport access option.
	JR Sobu Line (Rapid Service) About 1300 yen, 85 minutes to central Tokyo Departures every 60 minutes The Rapid Sobu Line is the inexpensive JR alternative to the Narita Express, connecting the airport with Tokyo Station and Yokohama. The Rapid Sobu Line is a normal commuter train, which stops at several stations between the airport and Tokyo and can become crowded during rush hours. Seat reservations are not possible.
	Keisei Skyliner About 2000 yen, 60 minutes to central Tokyo Departures every 40 minutes The Keisei Skyliner connects the airport with Ueno Station in central Tokyo. It is a comfortable train for travelers to and from the airport. All seats are reserved.
	Keisei Limited Express About 1000 yen, 75 minutes to central Tokyo Departures every 20 minutes The inexpensive alternative to the Keisei Skyliner, the Keisei Limited Express is the cheapest way to get from the airport into Tokyo. It is a normal commuter train, which stops at several stations between the airport and Tokyo and can become crowded during rush hours. Seat reservations are not possible.
	Limousine Bus About 3000 yen, 60-90 minutes to central Tokyo Several bus companies offer connections to various places in the Tokyo area and neighboring prefectures, including direct connections to major hotels.
	Taxi About 20,000 yen, 60-90 minutes to central Tokyo Because Narita Airport is located about 60 km outside of Tokyo, a taxi ride into central Tokyo is very expensive and not recommended to common travelers.

Short excursions from Narita Airport
(For people transferring flights at Narita Airport)

Narita Airport is located 60 kilometers of central Tokyo, which takes about one hour on the train. Consequently, if planning to make a short excursion into central Tokyo you should allot at least three hours for the train trip in and out of the city, and check the schedule for your return trip in advance.

There are also a few points of interest in the vicinity of the airport itself. One of them is Naritasan, a large and popular temple complex in Narita City. An excursion from the airport to Naritasan requires at least three hours, to be on the safe side.

Airlines and Destinations

Below is a table of airlines which operate international flights to/from Narita Airport. The data is as of July 2006 and subject to change.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

hotels & ryokan

tours and packages

Narita 1 Day A guided tour of Narita and surroundings. Sawara 1 Day A guided day trip to Sawara, a preserved small town near Narita Airport.

english links

japanese links